Introductory
To define sociological imagination, I will discuss my role as female and as middle child, while growing up with a low socioeconomic class and how it has shaped me today to go to college and earn a degree. The basics of sociological imaginations can be defined as a way we look at every day things, our “normal” or familiar, compared to public issues.
Personal Explanation
Throughout most of my childhood, I was raised in either a single parent home or a blended family, but mostly with a single parent. My father died when I was 14, but prior to his death, he wasn’t in the picture much. My blended family consisted of a stepfather and stepsiblings.
I had to help take care of my two brothers, one younger, one older, while my mother typical worked at least one job, sometimes two. I would have considered us very low on the socioeconomic pole, although we weren’t below poverty level, but not far from it. Looking back, I realized how tight things were for us. Very seldom we would go out to eat, go shopping, or go out for entertainment. Our goal at that age was to get through high school, and a college degree had never been mentioned. My mother worked very hard to keep us with clothes, food, and a home. Although I have to wonder if college was never an option because of it was part of our culture (no one in our immediate family had gone to college) or if it was due to the lack of funds, or knowledge to get started with college courses.
Sociological Imagination In today’s society, going to college is a little easier, compared to 20 years ago. About 5 years ago some changes happened to me that has now allowed me to get a college education. Over the years, returning to college never crossed my mind, especially at 40. My husband and I come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. His parents were never divorced, they both were employed and